Monday, February 13, 2012

I have been on a kick trying to use up some of my old patterned paper. This layout is using the Close to My Heart Sweetheart collection. I love how versatile this paper is. Once again, I have been using the Art Philosophy cricut cartridge.

I absolutely loved this sketch from PageMaps http://www.pagemaps.blogspot.com/

I knew I had to incorporate this sketch into my Use it or Lose it Challenge blog http://useitorloseitctmh.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-challenge-blog.html challenge for the week. We were challenged to us our first stamp we ever bought from Close To My Heart. Seeing I have been selling CTMH products for so long, I honestly can't remember what was in my initial kit. I do know that one of the first stamp sets I bought was Simple Stitches and I loved it. Still do. It was nice to pull out an oldie but a goody.

I used CTMH Sweetheart Paper (retired), Simple Stitches Stamp Set, Connections Stamp Set, Affection stamp set. I also used my Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge to cut the cute little postage stamps and circle. Seriously, if you have not purchased this cartridge and you own a cricut, you NEED to! I also used CTMH Bitty Opaques, and Color Ready Wood Shapes. The inks I used were: Tulip, Black and Cotton Candy. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

I finally have a surgery date scheduled! I have been dealing with this Urology issue since the end of October and we finally are doing the last surgery the 3rd week in February. I am beyond relieved. While I am still off work I am doing a lot of card making. It is a little difficult because my scrap studio is in an outbuilding we have that is not heated. During the winter, if I want to scrap, I need to plan ahead. I need to go out there the day before I want to do anything and start up the little space heater. Not very efficient, but it works and I love my little place out there. Now, if it only had a bathroom and some heat it would be perfect. Seeing I am pretty much housebound with this nephrostomy tube in place, it doesn't pay to keep the heater going all the time. Much to my husbands dismay, I have turned our dining room into a mini scrap room. Problem is, everytime I am working on something, I think of something else I think would be cool to bring into the house. After many trips outside and my Mom hauling in all sorts of supplies this is what it looks like right now. Not ideal, but the best I am going to get under the circumstances. The best thing about it is forcing me to use what I have! It's kind of freeing and I am really digging it. Really goes to show you how much you can create with some stamp pads,a cricut, cardstock and patterned paper.

So in my current scrap room I have been kicking out some serious cards using the Close to My Heart Wishes & Originals books for inspiration. If these books are sitting on your shelf pull them down and USE them. They are endless sources of inspiration. You can use up so many of your scraps using the templates for each card. I love that I don't need to reinvent the wheel to create beautiful cards. Here are some of the cards I have created in the past couple days. I really am still pushing through the Sweetheart paper pack. Who knew there was SO much paper in this pack? I have substituted contraband (a.k.a. non-CTMH product) to complete these cards. What can I say, I'm an equal opportunity scrapbooker! Enjoy!